Lost for words: Sentencing of Plymouth Czech slave
gang delayed again due to interpreter no-show

Sentencing of a Czech slave
gang has been delayed again after another failure in the criminal justice
system – because no court interpreter was available.

The case had been adjourned
from Friday when a transport shambles delayed one of the defendants getting to
Plymouth from prison.

All five members of the
gang were in court in good time this morning, but without a Czech interpreter
to sit in the dock with them.

A court-appointed
interpreter has helped the defendants through eight weeks of evidence at
Plymouth Crown Court.

But a central national
contract with one agency ended over the weekend which lowered payment rates –
and the usual interpreter decided it was not worth her while to attend.

"From Friday to Monday
there was a change of contracts. She (the interpreter) was not approved by the
new contract company and the rates they were going to pay her were so meagre it
was not worthwhile for her to attend."

Sentencing finally started
more than two hours late when an interpreter used by a defence solicitor stood
in at the last moment. She was given the judge's comments in advance so she
could familiarise herself with the language.

Judge Lawrie will finally
sentence them after hearing all mitigation from 2pm.

Defence solicitors and
barristers have been using barristers to talk to the defendants. A separate set
of interpreters has been translating the court proceedings.

One solicitor connected to
the case said: "You actually could not make it up, could you?"

The prosecution has been
blighted by problems with interpreters. The first trial had to be abandoned
because an interpreter was not properly translating the evidence of witnesses.

Another interpreter was
thrown off the case because he had his mobile phone in the dock. […]

[…] The first trial last
year collapsed because of concerns over the accuracy of one of a bank of
interpreters used in the case.

March
30: The trial is halted and
the jury discharged after Czech speakers raise concerns about the accuracy and
fairness of a court-appointed interpreter translating the evidence of key
witness Josef Bukovinsky. Fellow interpreters spend hours listening to
courtroom tapes before providing a report to the judge.

July
6: The trial is due to
resume but it is revealed that Bukovinsky has sent the judge a letter
withdrawing his statement. Matters are further complicated by the end of the
original contract for the agency providing defence interpreters – meaning
solicitors have to scramble about to find someone else.

August
26: An interpreter is thrown
off the trial for having a mobile phone in the dock, which is interfering with
the microphone and headsets being used for translation.[…]